LA LA Land: A Musical Masterpiece

By Jackie Lyons
     In Damien Chazelle’s new movie, “La La Land”, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone shine as a musician and an actress trying to make it in Hollywood. I thought this movie was excellent. Thanks to the amazing script written by Chazelle himself, the dialogue was engaging and easy to keep up with. Not only was it a great film, it was a great musical. Gosling and Stone’s voices blended together, creating a memorable soundtrack.
    Waitress Mia(Stone), is an aspiring actress who can't seem to make it big in the industry. She eventually meets Sebastian(Gosling), a snarky jazz musician who is trying to bring back jazz to a world full of millennials. They soon set off on a whirlwind adventure of love, dancing, and especially, music.
     In my opinion, the best aspect of La La Land was how it was a musical and not just a straight film. The full blown song and dance routines were reminiscent to those in classic musicals such as West Side Story and Singing in the Rain. Hearing Gosling’s piano playing and singing ability made me wonder where he would be if he accepted the offer to become a Backstreet Boy. When The Backstreet Boys were first forming, Gosling was very good friends with the boy band’s AJ McLean, who ended up offering him a role in his new band. He declined and chose to focus on his acting career. But hearing him sing in his new movie was really eye opening to what could have been. The worst aspect in my opinion was John Legend. His presence seemed to take the “magic” away. Even though Gosling and Stone are familiar faces, they're talented actors who can create a whole new personality through their acting. Legend on the other hand, isn't. He's a musician. He basically played himself.
    Each dance scene was accompanied by beautiful cinematography. For example, the most memorable dance break between Gosling and Stone had them soaring up to the stars. It was like they were flying. As a whole, this musical was breathtaking. The visual effects were stunning. Anybody who likes classic musicals would love this movie. And of course, so would Ryan Gosling fans.